Reflections in the Shadows
by Metafanatic
Summary: As Dreamland is plagued with a series of gradually worsening events, its citizens have placed their focus and distrust upon Meta Knight who struggles to defend himself. The veteran Star Warrior is soon face to face with a dark force he thought dead. Forced to leave his home, the knight faces a cold truth: he alone cannot overcome this threat and must seek out an unwilling ally.
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N_**

_Ah, yes. The dreaded and lengthy author notes. So, I had this idea for a little while and I've been eager to write it. I know I have Apocalypse to worry about, and that's been kinda slow…as usual. I haven't actually written a solely Kirby fanfic yet and that was bothering me. I don't want this one to be as lengthy as my other fanfics since I need more practice writing short stories. Also, I'm attempting to pick up my writing pace. Anyway, so far, I plan to only have canon characters in this. I might, for the sake of the plot, add an FC or something._

_So, this is after the anime. Nightmare is gone, but there might be some demonbeast stragglers out there still._

_**This story will contain violence, language, and blood.**__ Now you can't say I didn't warn you. :3_

_Thank you for taking time to read this._

**_Disclaimer: All characters (unless an FC/OC is mentioned) belong to Nintendo and Hal Laboratories._**

* * *

**Reflections in the Shadows**

_-Chapter 1-_

Rain danced in the heavy wind, buffeting the village resting upon the foot of the slope, overlooked by the great castle above. Swirling gray blankets rolled across the sky, choking the light of the moon that remained as only a curved slit in the black canvas beyond the storm. Spectacular streams of light erupted from the cover of the clouds, weaving and arcing with a deadly beauty. Thunder roared aloud, shaking the ground with unchallenged might.

A pair of eyes snapped open in alarm, he awoken by the rumble of the storm's voice. He stared up at his blank ceiling, searching for thoughts to be sucked into. To his disdain, the familiar ache in his chest summoned an unwanted series of memories. With a grunt, he pushed himself up from his winged back and sat at the edge of his bed with his head resting within his gloved palms. The soft snores of his apprentices were audible through the storm's rage. The two lied contentedly upon the couch where they had crashed soon after a marathon of movies and several bottles of soft drinks which were strewn about the living room floor. Sliding off his bed, he silently touched his feet to the floor and padded toward the thick wooden door. He took hold of his cape, that he tossed lazily upon the floor last night, and draped it over his back, concealing his wings in the dimensional fabric. With a silent hand, he opened the door and slipped into the corridor. Shutting the door behind him, he strode upon soundless feet up a steep case of stairs. He paused to catch his breath before ascending the remaining set of steps. Pushing past the heavy door, rain and wind immediately met his unprotected face. His form stood, unmoving, as rain wetted him, he with little care.

It were nights like these that he felt the most uneasy. Countless times, a disaster would fall, no matter in what form. Be it a Demonbeast, a strange creature native to some other region of the planet, or a being seeking to destroy the peace. It were nights like these that he could not lose himself in the silence of the night or the light of the moon. The cool rain against his skin soothed, but his mind was wracked with the sharp point of anxiety and cold grasp of uncertainty. Heaving a sigh, he closed his jaded yellow eyes, desperately seeking escape from his sleepless intuition. Thoughts, memories, and snapshots of his past floated in his mind, it needy of organizing. Still, he felt the rain wash over him. Thunder bellowed softly, whilst lightning flickered past his closed eyelids. Time seemed to slow as he picked at thoughts concerning events of previous days.

He failed to notice a faint, dark blue glow, off in the distance, churning below the clouds, perpendicular to the ground. At the center of the glow, a dimension's mouth came open slowly until a small, nearly unnoticeable, form dropped from the portal. As the dimensional bridge receded, its mouth closing quickly, it gave off a sudden shockwave that shook the air with a growl. The knight's eyes flicked open, they widening with disbelief as he caught the last few seconds of the portal's existence before it vanished with the clouds. He took a step back from the balcony's rail, scanning the land with searching eyes.

As the door behind him creaked quietly, the winged puffball glanced over his shoulder. Sword and Blade, they helmet-less, stumbled past the door and approached their mentor. They clutched the balcony rail, peering over it. The veteran Star Warrior behind them surveyed them inquisitively.

"What are you two doing here? You should be asleep."

"We were going to ask you the same thing, Sir." Sword glanced over his shoulder.

Blade yawned and shifted his weight to his right foot. "That loud clap of thunder woke me up…and you just had to drag me out here, huh?"

He looked to Sword who shrugged. "Brother, I told you to stay."

The green armored apprentice wrinkled his nose as he looked away. "Whatever."

The blue knight's eyes flickered green. "That wasn't thunder…"

At this point, the rain had lessened to a soft drizzle that pitter-pattered against the leaves of trees and tapped upon the armor of the three swordsmen at their perch. Lightning flashed within the clouds that groaned occasionally. Blade ran his hand through his wet hair that clung to his face.

"What was it then?"

Meta Knight narrowed his eyes. "I'm not sure…"

He turned away from the rail, his drenched cape waving lazily in the wind. He stopped at the door and sighed. "I'm certain we'll know…soon enough…"

Sword and Blade exchanged worried glances as they followed their mentor into the castle halls. The Star Warrior's eyes remained fixed upon the floor as he padded down the torch lit corridor.

_A tree smashed to the ground as a winged silhouette slammed into it with a great force. Mud and dirtied water slapped upon the moist earth as the plant's roots were torn from the ground. A pair of red eyes illuminated the darkness as the being stood and growled behind his cracked mask. Streams of red slowly spilled from a long, thin gash that sliced down the form's left foot. The knight limped, rage in his fiery eyes. The mud was stained red as the shadowed form staggered through the night befallen forest. His eyes narrowed as a billow of white mist escaped his lips with each breath._

_As he walked unsteadily, the air around him cooled. His footprints possessed small ice crystals that formed slowly. Rain dribbled upon his heartless body, the droplets freezing upon contact. Meandering around the trees and trudging over vegetation, he placed a gloved palm upon the trunk of a tree that bordered the wide stretch of grassland before him. He shifted his weight from his injured foot and gave an intent grumble. The outlines of the distant village were visible to him the darkness. But a single light still remained, glowing in the window of a small house. He tilted his head, a horrible grin forming upon his scarred face as a deep chuckle rumbled in his throat._

* * *

_**A/N**_

_I'm off to a bit of a short start. I just suck at the beginning chapters, is all. I wrote most of this when I was half asleep, so do point out any mistakes please. Auto correct is a jerk…_

_If you don't like reading about blood, violence, or are offended by swearing, I strongly recommend you find a different story. Don't write me, saying it's too dark. Believe me, there are worse out there. And who said Kirby couldn't be darkly written? Any flamers out there, go find someone who cares. Okay, I'm done being a "jerk". =3_

_Writers like reviews! I appreciate and encourage constructive criticism! _


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N**_

_Thank you for the reviews, everyone. They were very heartwarming. You'll have to bear with me. I feel that the next chapters may be uneventful and/or confusing, and I'm still trying to patch up holes in my plot. It'll start picking up though._

* * *

_-Chapter 2-_

"Ack!" Sword stumbled backward over a rock.

Blade ran forward and swung his weapon, the metal whistling as it narrowly missed its target. Meta Knight spectated the performance from a stump a few feet away. His worn cape was wrapped tightly around his form as his experienced gaze scrutinized every move. The late afternoon sun reflected off his scratched mask.

"Know where you move, Sword. Your environment can be as dangerous as your opponent."

Sword regained his footing and sidestepped the next attack. He swung his arm upward in time to block his brother's steel with a metallic screech. Sparks jumped from the locked blades as the trainees forced against one another.

"Watch yourselves. A weapon can betray one's judgement." The veteran called. "Even in training, any mistake will prove fatal."

Blade's weapon shifted slightly as he adjusted his grip on the hilt. Abruptly, a squeal rang out as their blades slipped. The green armored apprentice backed quickly as Sword ran forward with a shout. They swiped their weapons at one another while parrying and dodging. Meta Knight jumped off his perch as his apprentices' dual migrated toward him. Blade scrambled over the stump and landed awkwardly. Sword lunged at his brother from the remnant of the dead tree and tackled him to the ground.

"Hey! Get off me!" Blade protested.

He flailed his weapon, the blade ringing against Sword's helmet. Dazed, the purple armored knight-wanna-be was shoved into the grass. He grunted as the tip of a sword tapped his protected chest. Above him, Meta Knight stood aside Blade who pinned his brother with his weapon.

"That was a poor decision. Never abandon your weapon." Meta Knight grumbled.

Sword turned his head to see the metal object lying nearby the stump. Blade retracted his sword and offered a helping hand to the defeated trainee. He took his hand and was helped to his feet. Their mentor cleared his throat from behind them.

"Retrieve your sword." He gave a single nod. "Then begin again."

* * *

Fumu sat quietly beneath a tree, her nose in her journal as she wrote. She lifted her head as she heard voices of children near the foot of the shape. Bun held a soccer ball under his arm as he over-exaggerated himself in a story, he told to his Cappy friends, that most likely never happened. Fumu rolled her eyes as he puffed out his chest.

"Poyo!" Kirby came from the other side of the tree and held out a stubby paw to Fumu. A snail sluggishly wandered up his little arm, to the puffball's fascination.

"Put it back, Kirby, before it dries up." Fumu lightly urged.

He tilted his head, as if confused.

"Hey, Kirby! Wanna play soccer with us?" Bun asked, the Cappies standing behind him expectantly.

"Poyo!" The young Star Warrior joyed.

"Oh, hey. You have a bug on you." Fumu's brother flicked the snail off the puffball's paw. "I got it."

"Poyo poyo!" Kirby shouted with disapproval.

He poked the invertebrate worriedly. It eventually peeked out of its shell, to his relief. Fumu stood up, closing her journal. She brushed her bangs back, all the while frowning at Bun.

"You shouldn't be so mean to Kirby when you play with him."

Bun shrugged. "I'm not mean. He's just not a good player."

"You pick on him! Why else would you want him to play?"

"He doesn't mind." The boy adjusted the hall under his arm.

"He isn't as delicate as you may think..." A voice spoke.

Fumu looked up to see Meta Knight upon a branch, his cape wrapped around him. The girl stepped back. "Sir Meta Knight?"

Kirby lifted his arms happily. "Da!"

The knight tilted his head before jumping down. Upon landing, he grunted and adjusted the belt that bore his scabbard. Kirby rushed up and hugged him, only to be nudged away by the older Star Warrior. Fumu narrowed her eyes as she noticed that the blue knight favored his right foot.

"I haven't interrupted anything...have I?" Meta Knight paused.

Fumu looked up at him when he hid his feet behind his cape. Kirby pulled at his mentor's cape as he smiled up at him with hopeful eyes.

"Poyo yo, poyo."

"No, Kirby. I'm sure your friends here will be more than happy to play with you."

His words didn't seem to be understood by the young puffball, unless they were ignored instead. Meta Knight soon sighed, knowing he would not succeed in turning the little puffball away.

"Fine..."

Kirby's eyes lit up and he bounced with joy. He took hold of the knight's hand and tried to drag him in the direction he desired. Meta Knight followed with reluctant steps. Fumu came to Bun's side. They both watched as Kirby darted off with the older Star Warrior who followed with what appeared to be a limp in his step.

"Did you notice anything weird about him?" Fumu asked.

"No not really." Bun replied with little interest.

"I think he was limping." His sister murmured.

"Hey, Bun, I thought we were going to play soccer." Iro nudged his friend.

"Oh yah. Hey sis, we're gonna go, okay?" Bun informed. "I'll be back later."

Fumu sighed, walking in the opposite direction of her brother. She padded down the slope through the fields of grass. As she came to the dirt path that trailed from Cappy Town to the castle, she paused.

"Where'd they go?"

She scanned the land around her but did not see either of the Star Warriors. She stared at the ground as she strode up the path.

"How could they have just disappeared?"

Halfway to the castle, she paused as familiar voice came from behind her. She turned to see Kirby darting after her with a big grin.

"Kirby? I thought you went with Meta Knight. Where'd he go?" She asked.

He shrugged. Fumu agreed. "Me neither."

The two continued up the remaining length of the dirt path and crossed the draw bridge. Upon entering the halls, Fumu glanced down at Kirby who watched the Waddle Dees as they passed them.

"Kirby, did Meta Knight act funny?" She asked in a way he may understand.

Despite her simplified question, he didn't seem to know what exactly she was trying to ask.

"Nevermind."

Fumu opened her journal and wrote in it as she made her way down the hall. Squabbling caught her attention as she passed a large pair of doors. She put her ear to the door, listening to the conversation.

"Why can't you get this damn thing workin' again?!"

"It's very complex, sire!"

"You've had almost two years to fix it!"

"I don't know how to fix it!"

A loud thump rattled the door.

"Ow! You didn't have to hit me, sire!"

"Weren't you ever told not to eavesdrop?"

Fumu dropped her journal as she jumped in alarm upon hearing a different voice. Meta Knight stood near a wall across from her with Sword and Blade on either side of him. Kirby waved happily but got no reaction from either of the swordsmen. Fumu scooped up her journal and pencil.

"Forgive me for startling you." The knight apologized with a monotone voice.

"I meant to ask you something." Fumu brushed her bangs out of her eyes.

"Oh?"

"You aren't hurt are you?"

The knight narrowed his eyes inquisitively. "No. Why do you ask?"

"Well, you seemed to be limping when you walked with Kirby earlier today." Fumu explained.

"How curious." Meta Knight replied.

Fumu did not expect such a response. Sword and Blade seemed to bear the same surprise behind their helmets' visors.

"I was never with Kirby today." He gestured toward the pink puffball with a hand. "This would be my first time seeing him today."

"But, you were there...Bun and his friends were with me. Are you sure you're not hurt?" Fumu asked with a hint of urgency in her voice.

"What lead you to believe I was hurt?" The Star Warrior asked.

"It was your foot. Your left one." She pointed. "Are you sure you didn't go with Kirby?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I don't forget easily." Meta Knight responded.

"Sir was with us all day." Blade spoke up.

"Perhaps we shall sort this out tomorrow." The veteran suggested.

Fumu nodded and turned away, padding down the corridor. Kirby went with Meta Knight instead. She narrowed her eyes and looked over her shoulder at the swordsmen. The older puffball didn't appear to be limping. However, she suggested to herself he could simply be hiding an injury. She shrugged the thought away and returned her attention to the space before her. After entering a few other halls, she came to a door and opened it. As she closed it, her mother greeted her from the kitchen.

"Hello, Fumu. Where's Bun?"

"Probably still playing soccer with his friends." She answered.

"Dinner will be ready soon." Her mother spoke, noticing the distant expression in her daughter's eyes. She dismissed it, assuming she was merely in deep thought again.

"I'll be in my room." Fumu spoke before shutting her door behind her.

Not long after, Bun came in the door, his hair ruffled and his hand on his face. He stiffened as his mother quickly noticed.

"Bun! What happened to you?"

He frowned. "Spikehead kicked our soccer ball in my face..."

She put her hands upon her hips. "That wasn't very nice."

"I'm going to my room." He grumbled.

"Okay. Dinner is almost ready...though." He shut his door before she could finish.

Ebrum sat up from the couch. "What was all that about?"

His wife shrugged.

* * *

Their room was quiet. The lights were off. Blade's hands rested on his blanketed chest as he gazed up at the ceiling. He breathed a soft sigh and turned his head to look at his brother.

"Hey, Sword." Blade whispered from his bed.

"Yah?" His brother responded.

"What do you think about what happened today?"

"Like what?" Sword sat up.

Blade followed suit, he pulling his feet closer to him. "You know. What Fumu said."

Sword looked up at the ceiling as he spoke. "Oh, that... I don't know. I'm confused more than anything."

"Me too. But, don't you think it's weird? I mean, Sir wasn't with us _all_ day." Blade look over at his brother.

"You're the one who said he was." Sword stated.

"Yah, I know." Blade rubbed the back of his neck. "He did leave briefly during our break from training."

"True... Do you think we hurt him earlier when we were training?"

"We might have. I don't know. He's pretty good at hiding his pain."

"Yah..."

Silence befell them. Upon the floor, their armor was placed against a wall near their beds. Their belts with their sheathed swords hung on a hook upon the wall. Sword fluffed his pillow while Blade flicked his blanket over his feet as he lied down again.

"You know what I don't understand?" Sword asked.

"What?"

Blade's brother sighed. "There aren't demonbeasts to blame anymore, and there isn't anything out there that can disguise itself, right? Which means Sir is the only person who could have been with Kirby. If he did visit him, why would he lie about it?"

The two looked at each other.

"Do you think he's hiding something?" Blade asked him quietly.

"I don't know. But what if he's telling the truth?" Sword lied down.

"I...I don't know. I'm done talking about it. G'night."

"Night..."

* * *

**_A/N_**

_Hmm, a weird event has occurred. I hate writing decent chapters that seem to be pointless. It was a bit of a challenge to write the first section of this chapter without overusing the words "sword" and "blade" or putting them in the same sentence unless I was referring to the characters. Without demonbeasts being ordered all the time, Dreamland is a pretty boring place I suppose. Let's see if I can actually manage to write about them doing something interesting. Sword and Blade will often refer to Meta Knight simply as "Sir"._

___Writers like reviews! I appreciate and encourage constructive criticism!_


	3. Chapter 3

_-Chapter 3-_

"Kirby!" Fumu knocked at the small house's door. Upon receiving no response, she peaked into the window. "Kirby?"

She opened the door and frowned upon seeing the young Star Warrior's bed occupied by a little yellow bird.

"_Tokkori_!" She growled, her hands on her hips.

The bird shot up, screaming in alarm as he clung to the blanket. "What? _What?!_"

"Where's Kirby?" She asked, displeased with the little bird.

Tokkori threw his wings up in annoyance. "How should _I_ know? He took off this morning! Now go away."

The bird lied down, pulling the blanket over him. Fumu turned away, shutting the door behind her upon leaving the small home. As she crossed the field of grass, toward the village, a crisp breeze brushed against her. Dead leaves rolled in the air and squirmed in the dulling grasses. Stepping onto the village's dusty brick road, a pair of voices called behind the girl.

"Fumu! Wait up!"

Fumu turned and lifted a hand in greeting as she smiled at the two nearly identical puffs that floated hurriedly toward her. They panted as they caught up to her and gestured behind them with their thumbs.

"Have you seen the trees?" Lololo glance around briefly.

"It's a little cold out, too." Lalala added as she hugged herself.

Fumu gazed up at the large tree in the center of the village. The uppermost leaves had begun to yellow and drop to the ground. Despite the sunlight bathing the land, the air still cooled. The young Dreamlander simply nodded in acknowledgement.

Fumu returned her attention to the Lola twins. "Do you know where Kirby went?"

The twins exchanged an uncertain glance, then shrugged at their friend. Fumu sighed as she brushed her bangs from her face. She padded down the road with the twins floating above her, Cappies passing them as they went about the town.

"Did you check the castle yet?" Lalala asked, motioning backward with her hand.

"I didn't see him before I left." Fumu paused and looked to the floating puffs with a quizzical gaze. "Speaking of castle, do you two know about what happened with Meta Knight, yesterday?"

The twins exchanged another glance before shaking their heads. "No, not really. We did hear a little bit though."

"Don't you think it's weird?" She asked, narrowing her eyes as she spoke.

The two nodded.

Lololo glanced at the castle briefly. "Before we came looking for you, Fumu, we overheard Sword and Blade in the halls..."

"Yah, they were talking about demonbeasts and Meta Knight." Lalala continued, lifting her hands for emphasis.

"But, Meta Knight wasn't around. We looked around a little bit, because we were curious–"

Lalala cut him off. "But we didn't see him anywhere."

Fumu frowned as she tilted her head. "I don't understand him."

The twins shrugged in response. Another breeze nipped at the Dreamlanders and blew dead leaves about the road. Fumu opened her mouth to speak but a commotion down the road caught their attention. Kawasaki came running down the road with obvious excitement. In his hand, he held a small wooden object. the chef failed to notice the uneven brick below him as he hurried on. He tripped and hit the ground, skidding slightly. The object he held clacked upon the street a few feet away. Fumu came running with the Lola twins in her wake.

"Are you alright?" She asked as she helped the embarrassed chef to his feet.

"Yah, I'm fine." He replied with a sheepish grin and pink face.

Lololo collected the item and returned it to Kawasaki who held it gently while staring at it with great interest.

"What is that?" Fumu asked, curious about the object.

"It's a wooden spoon! I found it in my pot of ramen, right before I gave some to Chief Borun!" He gave a laugh as he shrugged. "I've never seen it before."

"What are you doing with it?" Lalala asked, rubbing her arms for warmth.

"I'm gonna show it to Professor Curio. Maybe it's worth a fortune! I'll be rich!

Then I'd be able to make a bigger restaurant!"

The twins sighed and shook their hands while Fumu smiled sheepishly. "I'll go with you."

Chef Kawasaki joyed as he padded in the direction of the Professor's workshop. "Okay! I sure hope it's special!"

The four approached the building and knocked at the door before pulling it open. They entered the dusty antique shop and looked about. The aged shelves and counters were littered with restored artifacts and broken pieces of destroyed projects the Professor hadn't yet tended to.

Kawasaki rubbed the back of his neck. "Where is he?"

Fumu shrugged.

"Hey, look at this." The twins called.

At the back of the room, a tall object, blanketed with a worn, gray tarp, sat upon a wheeled platform that hugged the wall. Lololo nudged the concealed mystery with his elbow.

"What do you think it is?" Lalala piped, she lightly pulling at the tarp.

"I don't know. Wanna take a look?" Lololo asked, exchanging glances with his twin and the other two Dreamlanders.

Fumu shook her head. "No, let's leave it alone. Professor Curio might be working on it."

The twins floated away from the object. "Okay."

"That's probably why he's gone." Fumu suggested. "Let's go find him, Kawasaki."

She turned to face the Chef. He handed her the old spoon.

"I have a restaurant to manage, so do you think you could give this to him for me?" The chef's face bore a hopeful expression.

Fumu nodded, taking the item. "Sure."

"Thanks!" Kawasaki dipped his head in gratitude.

As the small group left the workshop, Kawasaki wound while he padded off.

"I hope you find him soon!"

The children returned the wave. Fumu examined the spoon before returning her attention to the twins above her. "So, where should we start?"

* * *

Silence filled the halls of the castle. Long lines of Waddle Dees armed with spears, their weapons pointed toward the ceiling, hugged the wall. A fly buzzed around, he guards staring at it with boredom in their eyes. The bug landed upon a spear which was shaken briefly by its wielder. They watched the insect go about the air again until it took to another hallway. The guards heaved sighs as they stood idly.

"Look out!"

"Poyo!"

A black and white blur hurdled toward the lines of Waddle Dees, bowling over many while others scattered frantically. Spears clattered upon the ground as Bun and Kirby ran past the frenzy of panicking guards. The ball bounced off the wall and span quickly down the corridor, it being narrowly dodged by near victims. As soon as it rolled to a halt, Bun had caught up to it.

"Hey, Kirby! Watch _this_!" He kicked the soccer ball as hard as he could.

The ball launched down the next corridor. Captain Waddle Doo strode down the hall when an object whizzed inches over his head, rocketing in the opposite direction. He ducked and spun around.

"What the hell?!"

The soccer ball slammed into the pedestal of a stone Dedede statue which began to lean greatly. Shattered rock flew everywhere as the statue fell and smashed against the smooth floor. Bun clenched his teeth, his eyes wide behind the curtain of hair that covered his face.

"Yikes..."

"Poyo! _Poyo_!" Kirby bounced happily.

A Waddle Dee grabbed the ball and hurried down the leftmost corridor.

"Hey! Give it back!" Bun shouted as he ran down the hall.

Kirby excitedly ran after him, they passing the demolished statue. As the boys turned sharply, Captain Waddle Doo waved his sword angrily.

"Get back here!"

The Waddle Dee jumped in alarm upon noticing his pursuers and struggled to run faster. The startled creature abruptly tripped with a squeak, it losing grip of the ball. It ricochetted off a wall and flew into a door which flung open. Bun skidded to a halt and glanced at Kirby as he bumped into him.

"That's Meta Knight's room..." He pointed. He bit his lip and gestured to Kirby to stay put. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."

The pink puffball nodded curly. "Poyokay."

Bun hesitantly padded into the room and looked around. Nothing appeared to have been disturbed. He brushed past a recliner that faced a TV and peeked into the nearest room whose door was ajar. He scanned the dull space, searching for the familiar black and white surface of the soccer ball. Stepping into the room, he gazed at the old shelves mounted upon the walls. Upon them were knickknacks that appeared to be of a different time. Yellowing books with wrinkled covers lined the inside of a bookshelf that sat aside the tidy bed. As Bun turned to the face the opposite wall, he spotted the soccer ball behind the door. He looked to the shelves above him and smirked upon seeing a glass jar half full of various candies.

"I didn't know Meta Knight liked candy." He giggled and turned to the right.

In a corner, a small jar rested upon its own shelf. Bun approached it, eyeing it curiously. Inside of the container was a shard of reflective glass.

"_Poyo_!" Kirby called from the hallway.

"Coming!" Bun shouted back.

He snatched the jar from its perch, the glass shard clinking inside of it. The boy scooped up the soccer ball and ran out of the rooms, into the hall.

"Let's go, Kirby!" He called as he ran past the young Star Warrior.

"Poyo yo!" The puffball chimed, racing after his friend.

* * *

"Hey, can I look at it?" Lololo asked his pink twin as they followed Fumu up river.

Lalala handed the wooden spoon to the blue puff who eyed it curiously.

Fumu strained her eyes as she spotted a figure further ahead. "Is that him, up there?"

At the river bank, an elderly Cappy in a brown overcoat, with a leather satchel at his side, sat with his hands in the water. The young Dreamlanders rushed up to him and he sat up, lifting a pan from the bubbling liquid. He swooshed the water gently inside the tool, he carefully eyeing it.

"What are you doing, Mr. Curio?" Fumu asked as she watched the Cappy.

"It's called panning. I'm checking for materials in the river." The Professor explained. He pointed at a small, glimmering object. "You see? That is a piece of a common crystal."

The children awed at the tiny stone.

"Oh, Kawasaki said he found this in his restaurant." Fumu took the wooden spoon from Lololo and handed it to the curator.

The Cappy examined the spoon upon obtaining it. "Oh, _this_? It's just a normal spoon." He wrinkled his nose in distaste. "It smells strange."

Fumu smirked awkwardly. "Apparently he found it in his ramen pot before he served it to one of his customers."

Curio rolled his eyes and sighed. "Well, knowing him, he thought it was special, right?"

"Yah." The children nodded.

"Unfortunately, it's not at all. But, the design is unusual, so I suppose I will hang on to it." He tucked the spoon away in his satchel.

As Curio rinsed the pan in the water, Fumu tilted her head with confusion.

"You aren't keeping the crystal?"

The Cappy shook his head, sifting the water in the pan. "No, it's not worth much. Crystals aren't what I'm looking for anyway."

"What _are_ you looking for?" The Lola twins asked in sync as they floated closer to watch the old Cappy work.

The Professor unzipped an outer pocket of his satchel and carefully pulled out a small leather bag. He held it toward Fumu who took it and gently opened the mouth of the pouch. Inside was a piece of glass that reflected her face as she peered at it.

"That's a piece of a mirror. I have only a small chunk left to find, but I haven't quite had any luck." Curio informed as he refilled the pan and swooshed the water about.

Fumu reached into the bag but Curio jumped as she did. "No, don't touch it! It's very sharp."

After he placed the pan down, he lifted his other hand which was tightly bound with gauze. Fumu returned the pouch to the curator, he placing it in his satchel and returning to his search.

"So, why the river?" The girl asked.

"I found many of the pieces here, but I don't think there are any left." Curio stood up and emptied the pan before wrapping it in a cloth and storing it in his satchel. "I may have to—"

"Hey, sis!" Bun came running downriver with Kirby hurrying after him.

"Kirby!" Fumu opened her arms and hugged the puffball as he ran up to her.

"There you are! I've been looking for you."

"Poyo!" The young Star Warrior cheekily smiled at his friend.

"Look at what I found!" Fumu's brother held up a small jar that contained a piece of glass.

Professor Curio's eyes widened as he recognized the shard. He snatched the jar and examined its contents. "My, it's in wondrous condition!"

"Hey, it's mine! Give it back!" Bun reached for the jar only to be shoved back by the old Cappy.

"I must say, Bun, it was smart of you to put this in a jar." The Professor glanced at the boy.

"Oh, I didn't do that. I found it in Meta Knight's room." Bun explained as he settled.

"Now, what would he want with this?" Curio's eyes didn't leave the jar as he spoke.

Fumu narrowed her eyes. "What were you doing in his room?"

Bun inhaled deeply before speaking quickly. "Well, Kirby and I were kicking around my soccer ball and it went into his room. So, I went to get it and saw the jar."

"Why would he have it?" Lololo asked, somewhat rhetorically, as he looked up thoughtfully.

"Maybe he collects stuff." Lalala suggested with a shrug.

"Sure looked like it to me. He had all kinds of stuff. Even a candy jar!" Bun giggled lightly after he threw his hands up.

The others stared at him with a quizzical expression.

"Candy! Candy!" Kirby chimed.

The small group laughed while Kirby gazed curiously at them, as if to find what had been so funny. Curio lifted his satchel's strap over his head and rested it upon his shoulder.

"I'm going back to my workshop. Come with me if you'd like." The Cappy hurried down to the village.

"Wait up, Professor!" Fumu called, rushing after him with Kirby, her brother, and the Lola twins at her heels.

Rushing through the village, the Dreamlanders followed the elderly Cappy down the road and gathered inside the antique store. Curio removed his satchel and held the little leather pouch and jar in his hands as he approached the tarp covered object at the back of his room.

"Could I get some assistance?" He asked the children.

"We got it!" The Lola twins blurted.

They floated over the object and grabbed at the tarp. They grunted as they pulled the heavy sheet off the project and released it. The cover dropped upon the floor, the rest of it sliding away from what was revealed to be a cracked mirror with an old black frame with intricate designs carved into it.

"Whoa…" The children stared with wide eyes of amazement.

Curio approached and carefully removed the shard of glass from the pouch. He pushed it into the appropriate space and pulled his hand away, eyeing the mirror worriedly. Setting aside the leather bag, he twisted the lid of the jar until it popped off and fell upon the floor. He delicately emptied the jar of its sharp contents and, with a steady hand, reunited the last piece of glass with the rest of the mirror. He stepped away slowly, hopeful that the precariously placed pieces would remain still.

He sighed and looked to the children. "It's done."

* * *

"Dude, no that's _not_ how that works." Sword grumbled, giving Blade an impressed stare.

"_What?_ It could happen!" Blade shrugged, raising his voice.

Sword paused and sighed upon seeing their door half open. He frowned at his brother and pointed toward the room with his thumb. "Did you forget to shut the door again?"

"No. I shut it." Blade glared behind his helmet. "Really, I did!"

"C'mon. Dedede could have been snooping around or something." Sword urged and pelted past the door. "I'll check Sir's room. You check ours."

Blade nodded and ran to the wall across from Sword and opened a door, disappearing into the room. Sword stepped into his mentor's quarters and scanned the room with narrowed eyes. For a long moment, he scrutinized the space, and, to his relief, nothing appeared to be disturbed. Sword flinched as a door shut behind him.

"How's the room?" Blade asked, stepping toward the TV.

"It's fine." His brother responded, shutting the door shortly after.

"Good to know everything's here." The green armored swordsmen grunted as he sat on the floor.

Sword shut the door of the main room and glanced at his brother. "Everything except for Sir."

Blade gave an inquisitive expression as he removed his helmet. "_Yah_, where is he anyway?"

Sword shrugged and sat aside his brother. "I don't know. Didn't we see him this morning?"

"I'm pretty sure…" Blade nodded.

"Where do you think he went?

* * *

_**A/N**_

_I usually suck at writing long first few chapters, but thankfully I wrote a longer one. And pretty early too x3 So, there won't be another update until December. I'm sorry you have to wait so early in the story and for so long! I hate reading cliffhangers…but love writing them xD_

_Writers like reviews! I appreciate and encourage constructive criticism._


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N_**

_Oh my. It feels so good to be able to add another chapter! This chapter is long overdue. I apologize. But, I think I tried to make it up by writing an especially long chapter. Hopefully it was well worth the wait. I had a lot of stuff like finals, holidays, and laziness that got in the way. Plus I had to write my NaNoWriMo book, which I succeeded in writing! 50,087 words! Yah! Anyway, I also had to edit it and I've also published it, so now, for the first time ever, I'm a published author. ^^ It feels awesome. Well, happy belated holidays, guys! I'm gonna go to sleep since it's 2 a.m. where I'm at..._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

_-Chapter 4-_

"Thanks for buying us snacks." The Lola twins thanked in unison.

"Of course. And thank you, again, children, for helping me." Professor Curio smiled, he sitting upon a bench as he buttoned up his overcoat.

On either side of him, Fumu, Bun, and Kirby sat, while the Lola twins floated above them. The children each bore a bag of cookies to which they happily snacked upon.

Bun ran a hand over his hair prior to shrugging casually while bringing another cookie to his mouth. "Hey, no problem."

Fumu shot a frown of disapproval toward her brother who ignored her scolding behavior. "I still can't believe you went into Sir Meta Knight's room."

"What? I accidentally kicked it in there!" Bun's voice cracked as he defended himself.

"And then you snooped around and stole something of his." Fumu pushed on.

"Children, children. Enough. It isn't the end of the world." Curio lifted his hands, gesturing to the young Dreamlanders to end their quarrel. "I'm sure Sir Meta Knight will understand if we explained the whole thing."

Bun rubbed the side of his neck, his uncertainty hidden behind the hair draping over his face. "Can we not tell him?"

The elderly Cappy rubbed his brow. "Well, it wouldn't be right not to tell him. Besides, you may never know if may have been searching for the rest of it like I was. That could have been why he kept it."

Fumu sighed, still displeased with her brother's previous actions. "What were you doing, kicking the ball around in the castle, to begin with?"

Bun giggled softly as he shrugged. "I got bored. Kirby thought it was fun too. Right, Kirby?"

The young Star Warrior had been peeking into his empty bag of cookies before shaking the crumbs out into his mouth. He dropped the bag and looked up to the boy upon hearing his name.

"Poyo!"

"See?" Bun motioned with a hand.

Fumu frowned, receiving a sheepish grin from her brother. The Lola twins descended a bit, floating closer to the four.

"Maybe Bun should go apologize for stealing." Lalala suggested.

Bun jumped from his seat on the bench and clenched his hands into fists. "No way! Sir Meta Knight is cr—"

A low groan rumbled through the ground, shaking about objects. Tuggle scrambled about his store as products were shaken from their shelves.

"Earthquake!"

Curio slid off the bench and pressed his satchel to his chest. Kirby looked around, dumbfounded with their current situation.

The Professor's eyes widened in alarm. "The mirror! My work!"

He pelted out the door of the store, the little bell chiming as he did so. The children followed him, frantically chasing the urgent Cappy who wasn't keen on halting to allow them to catch up. Watching the Professor vanish inside his workshop, the young Dreamlanders almost immediately heard a yelp of alarm. Panicked, they rushed into his curio shop and skidded to a halt upon seeing the elder hurriedly protect his precariously placed artifacts that threatened to plummet to the floor.

"Quick! Keep everything in place!" Curio shouted over the bellowing groan.

The kids scattered about the shop, pushing ancient clay objects away from the edge of their perches. Kirby, too short to help, merely pushed against Bun's back, worried that he may fall over, though the chances were slim. Curio looked to the mirror, the only object that was undisturbed by the instability of the land. The mirror's shattered surface began to smooth out as thin streams of faint light peeked from between the shards to which began to meld together. The reflective object, with the peculiar carvings in its silver frame, emitted the low, destructive frequency. As the last of the cracks vanished, the grumbling ceased and all became stable once again. Dust fell from the ceiling, settling upon the floor. Curio heaved a sigh, lowering his head as he stepped away from the almost completely restored vase that rested upon a low lying shelf.

"Is it over?" Bun asked, glancing around as Kirby did.

Curio nodded. "I think so."

He cautiously approached the mirror, its glass surface pristine and filled with swirling silver as it bore the Cappy's reflection. The curator reached his hand forward, hesitantly tapping the glass. As he did so, the sleek surface rippled like a water bed, it bellowing softly with an almost metallic grumble.

Curio's gaze brightened and he beckoned the children. "Come, come. This is very interesting."

Bun approached, his sister and the puffball standing behind him. The boy tapped the mirror, earning the same effect as when Curio had done so. He stood in bewilderment and awe as he watched the ripples settle.

"My mirror doesn't do this!" He poked the glass surface again. "This is so cool!"

"Let's show this to the town. Perhaps I'll get a little more recognition for my work." Curio smiled contentedly, pride in his eyes.

He leaned forward and took hold of the handle of the wagon occupied by the mirror and pulled the miniature trailer along behind him. The children stepped aside to let him pass. Curio pulled open the door, to which was held by the Lola twins, and proceeded into the village. As the old Cappy padded down the dirt paths, he received several curious and quizzical expressions from passersby. As the bitter breeze brushed past him, he tightened his grip on his overcoat and continued down the dusty road. The elderly man halted beneath the old, now naked, tree at the center of Village, the children at his side. Already, curious villagers had begun to gather around them, eying the mystical object.

Professor Curio cleared his throat and faced the growing crowds of wary townsfolk. "Hello, everyone. I'd like to show you all my newest restoration: a mirror."

A Cappy crossed his arms and shrugged. "So what? It's just a mirror."

"But, it's—" Curio spoke up.

"It doesn't look old at all." Another villager called.

Fumu stepped ahead of the disappointed elder and lifted her hands. "Come see it closer. It's not like the mirrors you're used to."

"Yah!" Bun shouted. "Watch!"

Fumu stepped aside for all to see as her brother tapped his index finger against the smooth surface. The glass rippled and groaned as it was disturbed. Breaths of awestruck gasps washed over the once skeptical crowd to which steadily approached with growing interest.

Professor Curio's confidence returned and he patted the ancient frame of the ominous artifact. "Now, if you'd like to touch it, step right up. Make a neat line and everyone will get a chance."

"Fumu!"

The girl turned to face Sword and Blade as they rushed toward her with alarm upon their hidden faces. They stood before her, the other kids turning their attention to the two.

"What happened? We heard a loud rumbling sound, so we came running. Did something explode?" Blade informed while Sword glanced around.

Bun gave a curt laugh before approaching Blade. He placed his hand upon the swordsman's shoulder. "Nah, we're fine. We just finished putting together the mirror over there."

The two apprentices froze upon eyeing the reflective object.

Sword leaned toward his brother with wide eyes. "Hey...didn't Sir have a mirror shard in his r–"

Sword fell silent and Blade glanced toward him. "Oh...that's what got taken..."

"Sir's going to kill us." Sword choked out. Blade nodded in agreement.

Bun stepped back from the two. "Wait, how'd you know I was in there?"

"The door was open." The apprentices spoke in unison.

Fumu came aside Bun and slapped him upside the head with a glare. "You shouldn't have gone in there! Or at least be a little more discrete about it!"

Sword turned to face his brother. "Did you shut the door after we left?"

Blade shrugged. "What? I dunno."

The purple armored swordsman sighed and shook his head. "Anyway, have any of you seen Sir Meta Knight anywhere recently? He vanished this morning and didn't tell us where he'd be, let alone that he'd be gone."

Fumu narrowed her eyes quizzically.

Curio came behind the children and gave a gentle smile. "Let him be. I'm certain he's merely tending to his knightly duties."

Sword and Blade exchanged uncertain glances with one another and shrugged. The rumble of a car engine grew louder from behind. Kirby gave a soft "poyo" upon seeing who had arrived.

Fumu sighed and gave a curt glance toward the two apprentice swordsmen. "I guess you two weren't the only ones who heard the rumbling."

The self-proclaimed king of the land clambered from his vehicle, with his mollusk assistant in tow. "What's all this commotion about?!"

"Professor Curio fixed this mirror." The Lola twins blurted abruptly as they floated above the reflective object.

Dedede gave out a thunderous laugh, soon approaching the supposed artifact. As he did so, he examined the object with a very unskilled gaze before chuckling and shrugging. "It's just a mirror! What's so special about it, huh?!"

"Touch it!" Bun barked. "It's so cool!"

The king frowned at the boy shortly before shooing him away and standing at the foot of the object to which possessed an ancient frame. Both he and Escargon narrowed their eyes as the plump penguin tapped the gleaming surface of the mirror with a gloved hand. To their astonishment, a low bellowing groan emitted from the rippling, water-like glass of the artifact.

"Wow!" Dedede's eyes shined. "I want it!"

The penguin grinned and adjusted the cloth across his stomach before throwing his free hand, the other occupied by a mallet, into the air. "I demand it be placed upon my wall!"

Curio's heart, once again, sank in dismay upon hearing such importunate words. "B-But..."

"You cannot have, Your Majesty." Sword spoke in defense of the curator, approaching the king with Blade at his side.

Dedede frowned with distaste and put his hands to his sides. "Oh yah?! Why not?! I'm the king!"

"Our Lord told us about these things... He said they were dangerous." Blade explained slowly whilst Sword nodded in agreement.

Relieved to have yet another set of Dreamlanders back him up, Curio spoke quickly. "Y-Yes! Imagine if it fell! The shards would harm His Majesty!"

"If it breaks, you'll have bad luck!" Escargon was reminded, by his superstitious nature, that mirrors, in his mind, were cursed and a poor item to have in one's living space.

"Alright, alright! I get it!" Dedede silenced the onslaught of words against his wishes. "If ya'll think it's so dangerous, _you_ keep it!"

Curio heaved a sigh and patted the ancient framework of the mirror. An abrupt gust of wind startled the Dreamlanders as the bitter cold sank into the town, continuing to chill the land and its inhabitants. The children shivered, they rubbing their arms. Dedede stepped away from the mirror and frowned at his assistant.

"I told yah mirrors were bad luck! Why'd ya let me touch it?!" The king swung his mallet at the mollusk who ducked and scrambled toward the vehicle.

"_Me?!_ I told _you!_"

"Yah, yah! Whatever! Just drive! I'm freezin'!"

The king's vehicle rode through the village before making its way toward the castle. Above the land, whose plant life grew ever more dormant, clouds continued to fill the sky and choke out the warmth of the sun. Fumu looked upwards, scanning the graying sky for any sign of what she suspected to be the culprit of such events. The crowd of Cappies had greatly depleted as they hurried toward their homes and huddled inside. Bun shivered and clung to his older sister.

"Do you th-think we'll g-get more s-snow?"

Fumu shrugged, looking down from the clouds. "I don't know. Maybe. We better find the demonbeast that is causing all this, first."

Bun nodded. "C'mon. Let's go home. It's freakishly cold out."

"Come on, Kirby!" Fumu called for the puffball, however he was watching as Blade lifted a small stone from the town road.

"What are you g-guys doing?" Bun asked curiously, rubbing his arms furiously.

"Run!" Lololo yelped and hid behind a bush with his twin.

Kirby followed them, peaking from the browning leaves of the plant. Fumu and Bun hurried into the same area and Curio reluctantly watched from the doors of his workshop. Sword stepped back, eyeing the stone as his brother tossed it toward the mirror. To their surprise, the rock merely vanished inside the object whose surface rippled yet again. The apprentices glanced at each other briefly whilst the mirror's surface settled. They shrugged in silence.

"Nothing happened." Sword spoke up.

"What do you mean nothing happened?" Fumu stood up, scanning the area for any shards of glass, only for her to see that the mirror hadn't been damaged. "Where'd the rock go?"

Blade pointed toward the artifact. "It went into it."

Bun stared with a dumbfounded gaze hidden behind the curtain of hair covering his face. He threw his arms up briefly. "How much cooler can this mirror get?!"

"Is it broken?!" Curio came rushing from around the corner. He put a hand to his chest, breathing heavily. "Oh, thank the stars! I think it's time for this to go back inside."

The professor took hold of the trailer's handle and wheeled it back inside his workshop.

"I don't know about you, brother, but I'm going home." Sword adjusted his helmet as he passed the green armored swordsman who followed shortly afterward.

* * *

The door came open slowly as a silhouetted form slipped into the dusty room. Across the way, the mirror stood in silence upon its low lying perch, which was touching the back wall. On soundless feet, the spherical silhouette's armor lightly clanked as he tiptoed through the room. Passing the owner of the building, who lied asleep in his bed, the form briefly glanced at the elderly Cappy before reverting his glowing gaze toward the mirror. As he bent forward, taking hold of the trailer's handle, he failed to notice a transparent string that was tied around it. Upon lifting the handle, the string tightened abruptly, but quickly loosened as something clattered upon the floor.

The figure spun around and flinched as the object, that fell, suddenly began to ring loudly. Eyes darting about, the spherical being released his grip on the handle and raced out of the curio shop. Curio jumped awake in alarm and shot out of bed with a baseball bat in hand. He flailed it about unskillfully, but quickly settled upon discovering he was the only occupant of the room. He stepped to the alarm clock and lifted it off the ground. Pressing the button, the clock fell silent. He gasped and looked up to a makeshift security camera, its lens adjusting. Realization fell over and he set the alarm aside before promptly racing out the door.

"Borun! _Borun_!"

* * *

"Fumu..."

The girl's eyes snapped open. She sat up quickly upon seeing two forms looming above her. She would have screamed had she not recognized the armored forms to be that of Sword and Blade.

"Good. You're awake." Sword smiled behind his helmet.

"I am _now_..." Fumu rubbed her eyes and stretched. "What time is it?"

"Three o'clock." Blade answered quickly.

Fumu gave a severely quizzical gaze. "Why'd you guys wake me up at three–"

"Grab something warm, it's a lot colder out now. We need you to come with us to the village." Sword informed her abruptly.

"Wh-Why?" The girl asked with great concern, her hands in blanketed lap.

"Because," Blade began with quiet words, "we figured you'd want to see what's happening considering the Lola twins informed us that someone tried to steal the mirror not long ago."

Fumu stood out of bed and opened her closet door. As the green armored apprentice finished speaking, she became still and glanced at them from over her shoulder. "Who?"

* * *

"Someone tried to steal the mirror!" Professor Curio barked.

"We know, Curio." Sword spoke up as the three entered the police office.

"Here it is." Chief Borun came from the back room with a VCR tape in hand.

"What's that?" Fumu asked with a yawn as she pointed at the black, rectangular object.

"This is the recording of Curio's workshop for the past few hours. We'll take a good look at the thief." Chief Borun patted the tape as he approached a smaller TV with a VCR aside it.

Pushing the tape into the video device's mouth, he pressed a button upon it prior to turning on the TV. Upon the screen, the recording played. Borun fast-forwarded the video. A few hours of events played speedily until the room went dark. He stopped the tape, then played it once more. The doors opened and in went a figure. The group gasped in alarm upon seeing the culprit.

Sword and Blade curtly exchanged shocked gazes before leaning toward the screen. "Sir?!"

"That's Meta Knight!" Professor Curio pointed with his free hand, nearly dropping the baseball bat in his other hand.

Fumu narrowed her eyes and quickly spoke up as the knight leapt out the door in the video. "Rewind it!"

The chief did so, and, as the scene replayed, Fumu pointed at the recorded swordsman.

"Look there. You see? He's limping!"

Sword nodded upon realizing such a small detail. "He is... That's what you saw a few days ago, right?"

"Yes. He's definitely hiding something." Fumu confirmed, straightening as she did so.

Blade shook his head. "What would he want with a mirror? And where is he anyway?!"

Borun turned off the TV and ejected the tape from the VCR. "Well, now. That's that." The chief set the tape upon his desk and returned to the small group of Dreamlanders.

"Excuse us." Sword spoke as he shoved Blade out the door. He sighed and threw his arms up briefly. "Why is this happening? Brother, we need to find him and ask him right now!"

"Ask me what?"

Blade had prepared to speak, but was startled when a deep voice came from behind him. The shorter of the two brothers spun around and nearly hugged Sword in surprise, but was quick to regain his composure. He jabbed Sword in the side as his gaze darted between him and their mentor who bore a very quizzical expression behind his mask.

"U-Um..." Sword cleared his throat and tensed. "Sir! Why'd you try to take the mirror?"

Meta Knight gave a highly inquisitive gaze. "What on PopStar are you talking about? What mirror? What would I want with a mirror?"

Blade shuffled his feet nervously, however he took a hesitant step forward. "You tell us. We saw you on video! And you were limping! You didn't tell us you were injured! And you especially didn't tell us that you had left, let alone where you'd be!"

The knight sighed and nodded slowly. "I apologize for not informing you of my absence, however, I am not injured. Now, where's this video? Let me see it." Meta Knight held out a hand of insistence.

"C'mon." The two beckoned and he followed them inside.

Curio jumped in sight of Meta Knight who looked to him suspiciously, eyeing the baseball bat in his hands. The professor was quick to set aside the "weapon" as the knight approached Fumu and Borun.

"Chief Borun, could you show Meta Knight video?" Sword asked, eager to see his mentor's reaction.

"Of course." As the police officer turned to his desk, he paused and froze. "Um...one moment."

He scurried behind the wooden table and began to examine it frantically. Embarrassed, he clasped his hands.

"It's not here." He looked down. "Either I misplaced it, or, somehow, it got stolen. None of you took it, correct?!"

Everyone shook their heads. Borun grumbled and faced the prisoner in the single jail cell of the office. "You didn't take it, did you?!"

The prisoner shook his head frantically.

Meta Knight touched his hand to his mask and sighed with annoyance. "Never mind the video... Where is this mirror? It seems to me that you've found it to be of seemingly great importance."

Curio nodded and brandished the bat once more. "It's back in my workshop. Hopefully, it's still there, considering what's happened so far."

Meta Knight muttered beneath his breath. "Hopefully..."

Fumu hugged herself as she followed the swordsmen and curator to his workshop. Warmth bathed them as the elderly Cappy opened the door. Meta Knight's eyes almost immediately flashed orange upon seeing the ancient artifact against the back wall. He halted before he completely entered the building, he standing behind his apprentices.

"You gave him that shard?!" The veteran's voice bore hidden anger.

"No! No!" Sword and Blade backed, waving their hands before them. "It was stolen by a certain kid."

"That mirror must be destroyed." Meta Knight growled.

Curio stepped back in alarm as he heard the words spoken in such a jagged tone.

"It is dangerous. It's a direct gateway between our world and another. We don't know what could, or has, come through." The knight turned away and began to step out of the doorway. "We are in plenty enough danger as it is..."

The knight set off beyond the village. Striding through the dying grass, his eyes began to glow red and a dark grin appeared upon his masked face, and...he began to limp.

* * *

_**A/N**_

_Oooo! Epic cliffhanger! I'll write as fast as I can so I don't keep you guys waiting. I got the first chapter up on deviantart, by the way, but just as a preview. I might continue to upload the rest of the chapters. However, I'm not sure. I kinda like my stuff being in place. If I do, then I'll upload new chapters here first. Ah, I feel kinda funny being able to say that I remember the VCR. I'd say that I was a little kid when we had one, but then I feel like someone might think I'm old. I'm only sixteen. XD Alright, I need to get to bed... Do point out any errors please. Hopefully it's good. Bad ideas look really great at 2 a.m., heheh...yah._

_Writers like reviews! I appreciate and encourage constructive criticism!_


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